When fallen leaves whirl around

It's nice to talk to you! Are you spending your time happily? I'm fine and happy. I'm so delighted when I think that twelve of my pictures including "When fallen leaves whirl around" are going to travel via the Internet throughout the year in 2007.

Though belated, let me introduce myself. My name is Ayako Tanabe. I was born in January 1971. My zodiac sign is? and my blood type is? (Don't you think that things become mysterious when there are some secrets?)

My close friends say to me, when looking at my pictures, "You used to wear clothes of that shade." I am reminded that it would be tedious to use the same approach, but things like coloring and scenery seem similar to an accumulation of the time we've spent.

When I was little, I was very fond of drawing pictures, and wanted to become a writer of picture books. Now, I am unable to draw pictures, so I want to express my feelings in words. As a child, I liked to draw pictures on cards and postcards, and put short captions on to them, though I'm afraid that the quality was not as good as I would have wished.

Having read "Daddy-Long-Legs," I learned that writing letters is the best way to make progress in writing. I adopted this learning method. I'm not sure about the result so far, but I like writing letters better than anything else. So, I neglect my studies and do nothing but write letters to lots of people. At the beginning, I used to start with "How are you?" but sooner or later, I came to believe that all of them were well. While wishing that all people were happy and healthy, and repeating "I'm spending my time happily," I became truly happy. Therefore, I want sincerely to say: "Are you spending your time happily?" to everyone.

My picture "When fallen leaves whirl around" is one of the pictures that left my room for the first time and set out on a journey, when I was twenty-one years old. I hope that a peaceful days will come when everyone can take each other's hands in joy.

I'm so pleased to make your acquaintance for this whole year.

Friends in the Evening

How are you? I am fine as usual.
I feel cheerful, but my body seems a little stiff.
It is only natural that it happens in this cold weather.
I think it strange that while the days lengthen steadily, it gets colder.
Does nobody feel it but me?
The light coming through the window does not warm up my room, although the hours of sunlight have been getting longer.
Is the earth going round in an elliptic orbit now?
At a time like this, "Morning Relay" by Shuntaro Tanikawa flashes into my mind. As I listen to the poem, I can feel that the earth is round and the sun smiles on me.

This time, I'd like to let you know how my daily life is.
I live with my parents, and every day a helper in charge of a specific day of the week comes to take care of me. I need their nursing care for all aspects of my life including writing and reading. I can spend every day without an accident because I have their support. Thanks to them, I am able to express my thoughts and feelings as I'm doing now. Each time, one of the helpers sits by my side and takes notes almost simultaneously as I talk.
Though my days remain more or less unchanged, each helper brings a lively air to each day so that I can feel refreshed while staying in my room every day. Thus, while keeping this daily life in good condition, I can stay calm and fine both mentally and physically. When my condition is stable, I feel at ease, and can spend a pleasant time every day. This is my quiet everyday life.


"Prescriptions"

Every day I become helpless on and off,
But, what's the use of complaining?
My body is stiff, and even my heart becomes hardened.
I cannot help but feel alienated.

In such a case, a cup of hot cocoa relieves my mind.
A soft singing voice flowing from a CD makes me feel better.
Listening to a reading, I feel thrilled and excited.
Reading letters again that reached me before, I feel relieved.

A peaceful mind softens my body.
Thus people surrounding me release me from difficulties, though I am disabled.

Meanwhile, my mind has become cheerful.
I receive prescriptions from various people every day.
A lot of tablets I take remind me of the conscience of humankind.

One day…

How have you been? Today, I'm idling my time away.
I seem to be absent minded when my physical condition is particularly good or bad, or at the turn of a season. In such a case, I listen to music, CD books, or recorded books to get back to my normal everyday life.
Then, what my teacher said in a poetry class when I was in elementary school flashed across my mind, and I felt the memory cleared my confused mind.
"Stick to it stems from stick to one's opinion, and its meaning is not very good. Make an effort is preferable to that."

This time, I'd like to write about the "recorded library" that makes up an important part in my daily life. It was initiated by Japan's Braille Library, and then general books were put into Braille. Now, cassette books are also available. That is the recorded library.

Citizens who have taken a course on recitation are working as recitation volunteers for the recorded library. As this activity is conducted throughout Japan, I can receive recorded books sent from Hokkaido, for instance. It is possible to make a request by contacting the person in charge of the support section for the handicapped in a nearby public library. There are also volunteer activities such as providing publicity, information on community center, new publications, and new works.

Although I can't move around, when I listen to recorded books, I feel my heart leaping for joy in the world described by writers of all ages and civilizations, and it is as if I could fly away to an unknown world. Books are very much like spring. In spring, the ground thaws, young buds burst, and little flowers bloom. As they make us feel happy, books give us a feeling of happiness as well. I feel myself breaking into a smile. That kind of experience is indispensable, but while we are in the midst of the season, we tend to forget to appreciate it.

As for the support services for the handicapped, I mentioned only some of them. Actually, they include many different activities, and there are many people who need them and are working for them. I would like you to know how I can spend happy days both mentally and physically through those services. Let me express my special thanks to all the people involved in the recorded library.


"Wind"

Looking around, there's nothing,
I feel I've forgotten something.
I face the goal again,
It's called a goal but it might be nothing,
Though it is fine with me.
Now, I'm happy to feel this wind,
If only I could feel time coming around through this wind.